Celebrated as the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas is all about sweet gingerbread, toasty warm hot chocolates, and visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. With movies like Home Alone, Elf, and The Grinch, cinematic Christmases never fail to appeal to children. With presents stacked up to the ceiling and the whimsy of a snow day, Christmas is marketed as one of the most wholesome of holidays.

But not all Christmas movies share the same sentiment. While it is a holiday most commonly associated with children, there are some movies that depict a very different holiday experience. Whether they are targeting a notoriously mature audience with genres such as action or horror, or are displaying highly mature themes or premises not fit for children, these R-rated Christmas movies are definitely not family-friendly. With their R-rating and more mature content, these Christmas movies are certainly more naughty than nice.

12 ‘Violent Night’ (2022)

Director: Tommy Wirkola

For a healthy dose of “season’s beatings,” Santa goes up against armed mercenaries in Tommy Wirkola’s action comedy Violent Night. On Christmas Eve, young Trudy (Leah Brady) is gifted a walkie-talkie which her parents tell her is a direct line to Santa. So when armed mercenaries break into the wealthy family’s home, it’s up to Santa (David Harbour) to deliver the gift of justice to anyone he finds on his naughty list.

From the producers behind Nobody and Bullet Train, Violent Night is a festive take on a classic action story with plenty of creative Christmas stunts to spread the holiday spirit. While chock-full of all the classic action sequences that are to be expected from these producers, the implementation and usage of Christmas items, magic, and characters make Violent Night a hilariously fun action comedy to watch. While the premise of an action movie with Santa as the lead seems too nonsensical to actually work, the film manages to get a great deal of mileage and genuine moments from this premise.

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11 ‘Lethal Weapon’ (1987)

Director: Richard Donner

Reckless young cop Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) teams up with the experienced LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) in Richard Donner’s buddy cop action comedy Lethal Weapon. Set during Christmastime in Los Angeles, Lethal Weapon underscores its action-packed thrill ride with holiday classics like “Jingle Bell Rock,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” and “The First Noel.”

Exploring a lot of well-known holiday feelings - the pressures of the perfect family holiday and feeling lonely at the thought of Christmas without a special someone - Lethal Weapon is filled with enough hope, heart, and joy to bring the holiday cheer. This is on top of the film's status as one of the most recognizable and beloved buddy cop action movies of the 80s. The Christmas theming and time period only further add to the excitement and thrills to be found throughout this icon of the 80s.

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10 ‘Black Christmas’ (1974)

Director: Bob Clark

Before Halloween and Scream came Bob Clarks’ Black Christmas; one of the earliest slasher films that was unique with its festive setting. Set during the Christmas season, a sorority house is terrorized by a stranger who makes frightening phone calls before picking off each of the sorority members one by one. The film's simple premise and cold and calculated execution made it an all-time classic slasher film that still holds up to this day, even when compared to modern slashers and Black Christmas' multiple reboots.

Based on the 1960s urban legend “the babysitter and the man upstairs,” and inspired by real-life murders that took place in Montreal, Black Christmas wielded its cultural influence to earn itself a cult following for its broader influence on the slasher genre. Balancing classic slasher tropes with a Christmas setting, Black Christmas gives a whole new and horrifying meaning to “he sees you when you’re sleeping.”

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9 ‘Anna and the Apocalypse’ (2017)

Director: John McPhail

Nearing the end of the school year, Anna (Ella Hunt) is close to graduating from high school and dreams of traveling before attending university. But on the night of the school’s Christmas show, her plans take a different turn as a zombie apocalypse threatens the quiet town of Little Haven. With the world continuing to crumble around them, Anna and her friends realize that in order to survive the night, they have to embrace the Christmas spirit and rely on the comfort of one another.

Directed by John McPhail, Anna and the Apocalypse sees Anna and her friends fight, slash, and sing their way to survival. While horror and Christmas have always had a strange connection with one another, few films have been able to perfectly balance the complete opposite styles quite like Anna and the Apocalypse. Blending a classic Christmas musical style with a gory zombie outbreak narrative, Anna and the Apocalypse is a genre-bending movie that transcends tradition.

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8 ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ (2017)

Directors: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

A lot of work goes behind creating the perfect Christmas. From the present wrapping, to the shopping, cooking, and decorating - duties that often fall onto the mom of the family. But when three under-appreciated and over-burdened moms have had enough of the seasonal pressure, Amy (Mila Kunis), Kiki (Kristen Bell), and Carla (Kathryn Hahn) rebel against the tough expectations placed on them to finally enjoy the holidays.

Scott Moore and Jon Lucas’ holiday sequel, A Bad Moms Christmas highlights the struggles of being a mother during the festive season. Allowing themselves to let loose and enjoy the holidays, Amy, Kiki, and Carla celebrate Christmas in their own way. A Bad Moms Christmas works especially well for those sick of the preparation and planning required of the holiday season, and need a good excuse to relax and have a good time with a raunchy comedy.

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7 ‘The Night Before’ (2015)

Director: Jonathan Levine

From the creators behind Neighbors and This is the End, Jonathan Levine’s The Night Before is a celebration of Christmas where children aren’t allowed. The film follows the story of three lifelong best friends - Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen), and Chris (Anthony Mackie), as they run through the streets of New York on Christmas Eve for their annual tradition of seasonal debauchery. In what may be their last yearly reunion before Isaac becomes a father, the trio are on a mission to find the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.

Rogen's signature style of comedy has rarely seen itself cross over with holiday films, yet The Night Before makes the argument for them being a perfect fit for one another. The film combines the highly raunchy and risque style of humor with the iconography and emotions of the holiday spirit to create a genuinely enthralling and engaging raunchy Christmas film. From tipsy karaoke bars to drug-fuelled encounters with Jesus, The Night Before is the perfect stoner Christmas movie.

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6 ‘Better Watch Out’ (2016)

Director: Chris Peckover

Better Watch Out is a Christmas-themed horror comedy that follows a babysitter and a young twelve-year-old on a seemingly normal night on a quiet suburban street in a 'safe neighborhood'. However, when mysterious strangers appear to begin breaking into the house, the babysitter must defend the child from all things dangerous and keep them from entering the home. As the terrifying night continues to play out, it becomes apparent that this robbery is far from an ordinary breaking and entering.

While there have certainly been a number of iconic Christmas horror films and Christmas comedies that have stood the test of time, rarely has a film so successfully balanced both horror and comedy in a Christmas setting. Better Watch Out succeeds spectacularly thanks to its inspiration and evolution of classic Christmas stories like Home Alone, creating a more cynical and violent approach to the always cheery holiday season. It's also the rare film that is best experienced not knowing much going in, as its brilliant twist makes the entire experience that much better. – Rob Lee

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5 ‘Die Hard’ (1988)

Director: John McTiernan

It’s Christmas Eve in L.A., and New York cop John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown into chaos after her office building is overtaken by a group of terrorists led by the calculating and ruthless Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). McClane soon enough becomes the only person who can put a stop to Gruber's plans, as he sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring him down from the inside out.

One of the most highly-debated Christmas movies of all time, John McTiernan’s Die Hard is a heart-racing action thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. With his iconic blood-soaked white tank top, witty remarks, and composure in the face of danger, McClane is a festive take on the typical action hero. Even to those who don't consider it a true Christmas classic, it's hard to deny the legacy and status that Die Hard now holds as an R-rated landmark for the holiday season as a whole.

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4 ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ (2001)

Director: Sharon Maguire

During the holiday season, for anyone who’s single, “how’s your love life?” is the question that strikes fear into the heart. So when Bridget (Renée Zellweger) gets introduced to Mark (Colin Firth) during her parents’ Christmas party, her New Year sets off between rekindling a possible romance with an old childhood acquaintance, and vying for the affections of her attractive boss Daniel (Hugh Grant).

Based on the novel of the same name, Sharon Maguire’s Bridget Jones's Diary is a romantic comedy about the agony and ecstasy of being single during the holiday season. Told through Bridget’s personal diary, the movie is a humble, imperfect depiction of the holiday season without the flashy lights. Bridget Jones's Diary's distinct style and approach make it highly unique when it comes to both romantic comedies and Christmas movies of the era, complete with enough raunchy comedy flair to make it an all-time classic.

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3 ‘Bad Santa’ (2003)

Director: Terry Zwigoff

Bad Santa follows the story of Willie Soke (played by Billy Bob Thornton) a sad and miserable conman who hatches up a scheme to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. He plans to pose as Santa, accompanied by his partner posing as his little helper, as they sneak past security and walk away with all the goods, acting as the ironic reverse of Santa Claus. However, their plan runs into a problem when Soke forms a true friendship with a troubled kid, leading to the head of security discovering their dastardly plot.

While it may seem obvious and overplayed nowadays to have a raunchy comedy that follows a loud and unkempt Santa figure, the concept was highly influential and unique when Bad Santa was first released. Especially when compared to other raunchy Christmas films that attempted to fill in the shoes of Bad Santa every year after its release, Bad Santa featured something that has helped it stand the test of time: heart. Being able to balance its most shocking and raunchy comedic moments with a genuine holiday spirit message at its center is what makes Bad Santa a true holiday classic. – Rob Lee

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2 ‘Carol’ (2015)

Director: Todd Haynes

Carol follows aspiring photographer Therese (Rooney Mara) who is working in a department store during the busy Christmas season when she meets the elegant Carol (Cate Blanchett). The two form a secret romance, set against the beautiful backdrop of the snow-covered streets and domestic glamour of 1950s Manhattan. Despite the tensions that arise when Carol’s soon-to-be ex-husband sends an investigator to follow the couple, it is the love between Carol and Therese - despite the consequences - that endures throughout.

Carol is proof that not all R-rated Christmas movies are raunchy comedies, violent action-packed thrillers, or blood-chilling horrors. As Todd Haynes’ Carol shows, some are quiet, meditative dramas exploring forbidden desire and romance in 1950s Manhattan, and even with its more mature themes and story, Carol is still filled with Christmas spirit and iconography. Especially when so many Christmas films are so heartwarming and uplifting in their tone and execution, it can be a breath of fresh air to see such a poignant and self-reflective story during the holiday season.

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1 ‘Love Actually’ (2003)

Director: Richard Curtis

Christmas is the time of being with the people you love, and for the ultimate romantic comedy capturing the euphoria and hysteria of the holiday season, look no further than Richard Curtis’ Love Actually. The film has attained a massive reputation not just as an all-time classic Christmas film, but as one of the most beloved and recognizable romantic comedies of the 21st century. The film ushered in a new wave of holiday-focused and ensemble romantic comedies in its wake, a testament to just how much of an instant classic it became with audiences worldwide.

Intertwining the stories of its ensemble cast, the vignettes of Love Actually range from the wholesome first love of a young boy, to the blossoming romance between two professional body doubles filming the erotic scenes on the movie set. With the film's massive presence and popularity in the 20 years since its release, it's easy to forget that the film actually sports an R-rating. However, the film certainly does earn its mature status, with its raunchy comedy and mature topics like adultery, yet this doesn't stop Love Actually from being the perfect watch for the holiday season.

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